For any modern business the need to be found is paramount and today, with more online directories than ever before, the potential audience reach and demographic drill down is completely staggering.
Yet with so much choice comes the possibility that you’ll choose the wrong directories; this will, at best, waste your time, and at worst open you up to a world of cold emails and calls, as well as potentially garnering a black mark from Google which takes certain directories to be simply full of spam. Knowing where to register can soon become a confusing challenge, so here we make it simple, listing the top five directories for any and every business, as well as discussing a range of industry specific directories.
Directories for every type of business
Google Places for Business
Google Places should be the very first place that you register, after all this is the search engine giant that garners a staggering 6 billion searches each and every day.
This directory allows you to register a business, with a registered office map pin (you can either note that you’re virtually based, or list that you have physical premises open for business). The latter of which will allow users to navigate directly to your doorstep via Google Maps. Users may also leave reviews of your business – perfect for installing trust within consumers that are yet to purchase from you.
Yelp
Yelp leads the way for consumers seeking out trusted reviews upon businesses. You can also create exclusive offers for Yelp visitors, as well as being able to send and receive messages.
Yellow Pages
Yellow Pages was where the directory realm all began. Today however they’ve transitioned gracefully into the virtual world to provide a feature rich service for businesses of any description.
Merchant Circle
Merchant Circle is the ideal directory for businesses that are specifically locally based. It provides targeted audiences and offers the paid ability to boost your listings. Perhaps of most use, however, is their blogging tool – which is perfect for impressing your potential clients!
FreeIndex
FreeIndex is a website that continues to rise in both popularity and Google Authority ranking. Here your customers can leave reviews and are able to rank you as to how they found your service. Businesses also frequently report that the £7.95 per month fee as great value for money for the features and placement you get with a premium listing.
Business directories for core industries
After you’ve registered with the key directories outlined above then it’s time to work on your placement within relevant directories. Such online portals can often be drastically underestimated in both the potential customers that they can reach, as well as the impact upon your search engine ranking.
Building work and other trades
Trust a Trader
Trust a Trader is one of a few trade focused websites that provide for essential peace of mind for clients who are seeking out services such as building work, plastering, floor laying, plumbing and carpentry. Here customers can leave reviews and contact you directly. You do, however, have to hold Public Limited Liability Insurance, and you also have to prove your qualifications according to your specific industry.
RatedPeople
RatedPeople is the online home of 50,000 local tradesman within the UK, and customer engagement here is pretty impressive, where over 600,000 ratings have been left. Tradesmen from all industries are welcome here and membership costs from £15 per month.
Accountants
Accountancy Search
Whilst providing only basic features that display an accountant’s address and phone number based upon the inputted user’s address, Accountants Search is a highly ranking website for searchers specifically looking for an Accountancy directory. What’s more, placements are completely free.
Accountant Directory
The Accountant Directory covers both accountancy service providers, as well as bookkeepers, and boasts a currently ‘Free until further notice’ offer on all of their listings.
Architects
Architects List
Architects List is the place to be if you’re an architect based in either the UK or USA. There are over 12,145 architects registered here and although membership is £125 it does hold a first page Google placement.
Creatives
The Creative Directory
This directory is seriously interactive, allowing for searchers to create their own lists of creatives, create mood boards and favourite profiles. It’s fresh, modern and the perfect representation for creatives of all types, including Hairstylists, Make-Up ‘Artists, Illustrators, Photographers and Stylists.
The-Dots
The Dots Directory is for creative individuals and companies, such as artists, illustrators, digital creative managers, creative agencies and everyone in-between. You can feature a profile, receive testimonials and showcase your portfolio – accounts for both individuals and companies are completely free.
Business services
Kompass
If you sell exclusively or partially business to business then Kompass may well be the directory to register with. Currently, it features over 5 million businesses that span 60 countries and users can search by company, product or executive name. They also offer paid options for lead generation and other online promotion solutions.
The Consultancy Register
If you’re in the business of consultancy, whether it be tech based or more generic, this website provides for a nice (free) listing option that has the potential to reach many of the website’s amount of visitors.
Web Design
The Web Design Directory
The Web Design Directory is home to over 1000 leading UK web designers. Here users can find freelancers and agencies, as well as other online marketing experts, such as SEO consultants, email marketing specialists and even hosting companies.
The Professional Web Design Directory
The Professional Web Design Directory offers both free and premium listings for web designers and web design companies; however they only accept listings from the UK, USA, Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
Wholesalers and manufacturers
The UK Trade Directory
If your business is based within either a wholesale or manufacturing realm then the UK Trade Directory is the online home for you. This site helps connect retailers with suppliers, entrepreneurs with manufacturers and individuals with businesses that can create products. Registration is completely free.
eSources
The eSources website covers wholesales, trade suppliers and importers based within the UK, spanning an extensive number of industries. Most notably this website boasts a feature for buyers to list their buying needs for free, so be sure to check this area out for any potential new customers!
Recruitment Agencies
Recruiter
Recruiter is the ultimate directory for recruitment agencies working within all spheres, no matter how specific. It’s actually part of a much larger website that serves up all of the latest news, reviews and opinions within the recruitment industry.
Recruitment Grape Vine
The Recruitment Grape Vine is a fresh, modern looking directory that lists everyone from recruitment consultants to HR specialists. It’s also a nice little online resource for news and blog articles related to the world of recruitment and marketing.
Personal Trainers
The National Register of Personal Trainers
The National Register of Personal Trainers lists only qualified trainers who additionally carry insurance. This is often an essential bit of peace of mind for users as they want to know the person who is training them is experienced and trained professionally themselves.
PTHub
This website offers a free sign up process that takes just two minutes. Currently there are only 365 trainer profiles listed, and with traffic to this website on the up it may make for a wise move to list your details here before a rush of registrations.
Home crafts
UK Handmade
The UK Handmade Directory is a lovely little website that provides two separate directories: one for bricks and mortar shops and another for ‘makers’. The only registration requirement is that you hand make your items. Listings start from just £25 a year.
The UK Crafts Directory
For the handmade home based company there is the UK Crafts Directory. Here users can select practically every form of craft there is, with businesses offered two tiers of listing: a free bronze listing and a paid gold listing that specifically provides for added SEO benefits.
Legal
The Legal Services Directory
The Legal Services directory allows users to search for certain services and then be connected to a representative via web address, email or phone. Possible categories into which you can be placed include: legal training/CPD providers, international law firms, administration of estates, legal software suppliers and barristers chambers.
Find a Solicitor
The Find a Solicitor website is home to over 150,084 legal professionals. It has a nice touch for users as they can search by legal issue and location, making finding the right professional in the right place super-fast, and super-easy.
